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Before You Buy Guide
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Bluetooth Speakers

2 guides · prices re-checked weekly

Before you buy

Size sets sound more than any specification does. Bass needs air to move, so a pocket speaker cannot produce what a lunchbox-sized one can, whatever the wattage figure on the box says.

Work out where the speaker will actually live, then buy the largest one that still fits there.

After that, check the ratings that matter outdoors. An IP rating tells you what a speaker survives. IPX4 handles splashes and IPX7 survives being dropped in a pool, and the higher rating is worth paying for if it ever leaves the house. Quoted battery life is measured at moderate volume, so expect meaningfully less at the levels you would actually use in a garden. If you want stereo, confirm the model pairs with a second unit before assuming it does.

We do not test speakers ourselves. These guides pull together manufacturer specifications, measurements and testing published elsewhere, and verified buyer reviews, watching in particular for battery degradation and charging-port failures over time.

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